Journal of Crop Nutrition Science
Volume:3 Issue: 2, Spring 2017

Manure not only supplies many nutrients for crop production, but it is also a valuable source for increasing soil organic matter content and improving soil structure. To increase organic manure content as well as improve the wheat production adding plant residues and livestock to soil is necessary. The experiment was conducted in Shavoor Research Station to determine seed yield and soil physical characteristics under different amounts and sources of organic manure through combined split plot experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications for a duration of five mentioned years. Main plots included seven types of organic manure (cattle and hen manures, sugarcane filter cack and bagasse, wheat straw and green manure which were compared with control) and three amounts of manure (2.5, 5 and 10 t.ha-1) witch belong to sub plots. Result of analysis of variance indicated the effect of different types of organic manure on seed yield, 1000-seed weight, number of spike per square meter, spike length, plant height, bulk density and infiltration rate was significant. Also the effect of year and different amounts of organic manure on all measured traits instead bulk density, infiltration rate and number of spike per square meter was significant. Wheat straw plays a major role in improving the physical properties of the soil. Sugarcane filter cack, sugarcane bagasse and cattle manure (at least 2.5 tons per hectare for four years or more) had a positive effect of increasing wheat yield, seed weight, number of spike per square meter, spike length and plant height.

In order to study the effects of wild mustard competition and different levels of nitrogen on effective traits of wheat yield, this research was conducted in Ahvaz, south west of Iran. The study was consisted of a split plot experiment, on the basis of Randomized Complete Blocks Design with three replications. Different levels of nitrogen (90, 150 and 210 kgN.ha-1) were assigned in the main plots and the sub-plots consisted of four wild mustard densities (0, 5, 10 and 15 weed plant.m-2). Result of analysis of variance showed the effect of nitrogen treatments on number of tiller per m2, number of spikelet per spike, seed yield, wild mustard biomass, wheat and wild mustard nitrogen agronomic efficiency was significant at 5% probability level and on number of seed per spike was significant at 1% probability level. Also effect of weed density on all measured traits (instead 1000-seed weight) were significant. But interaction effect of treatments on all traits was non-significant. Weed density had negative effects on nitrogen agronomic efficiency of wheat and positive effects on nitrogen agronomic efficiency of wild mustard. Seed yield was decreased in 0, 5 and 10 wild mustard densities per area unit. In the control plots by increasing nitrogen application wheat seed yield increased, but in wild mustard plots, with increasing nitrogen application loss of weed on economical yield increased. Generally, it seems that, wild mustard densities should be considered in determining the amount of nitrogen application, although 150 kgN.ha-1 recommended.

Nanoparticles of titanium increase cell growth by improvement of photosynthetic and nitrogen metabolism and therefore, caused an increasing in weight of the plant. This re-search was conducted to evaluate seed yield and biochemical traits of bread wheat affected by different levels of titanium dioxide Nanoparticles in Ahvaz region, Khuzestan province, located at southwestern Iran by factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with four replications during 2011-2012 growing season. The factors consisted of foliar application of titanium dioxide Nanoparticles at three growth stages (S1: Tillering, S2: Stem elongation, S3: Ripening) and different concentrations of titanium dioxide at five levels (C1: 0.01; C2: 0.03; C3: 0.05; C4: 0.07% titanium dioxide Nanoparticles and C5: 0.06% non-Nano particles of titanium dioxide or Bulk type). The results of analysis of variance indicated that the effect of spraying at different growth stage (except on harvest index and proline) and different concentration of titanium dioxide (except for proline) was significant on all measured traits. Mean comparison result showed the highest seed yield, its components and biochemical traits (expect malon di aldehyde) was achieved in 0.05% concentration at stem elongation stage, but the 0.07% concentration had a lower effect than other concentrations. It should be expected that higher concentrations of nanoparticles have inhibitory or neutral effects on growth trend.

To decrease adverse effects of water deficit is foliar application with chemical agents such as silicon. However, there is low information on the influence of silicon on alfalfa under drought stress conditions. Thus, the current study was conducted to assessment the effect of different silicon concentrations (0, 1 and 2 mili Molar concentration) on alfalfa growth trend and biochemical traits, which grown under five level of irrigation regimes (100% as control, 85%, 70%, 55% and 40% field capacity; FC) according factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with four replication. The results showed that plant height, dry weight, chlorophyll a and b were reduced in response to water deficit; while water deficit increased chlorophyll a to b ratio as well as activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in alfalfa crop. Also, water deficit up to 55% FC increased leaf silicon concentration, free proline, total soluble protein and peroxidase; however, severe water stress reduced them. Despite negative impact of water deficit, silicon application increased plant height, dry weight, soluble protein and three antioxidant enzymes as well as leaf silicon concentration. The positive effect of silicon on the most of the measured traits was greater at 2 mM than 1mM concentration, which might be due to higher silicon absorption at higher concentration. Alleviation ability of silicon was greater under severe water deficit compared to no or light water stress conditions. Our results suggested that although water deficit reduced growth and caused some changes in biochemical traits; silicon application, especially at 2mM concentration can be advised to alleviate some of the negative impact of water deficit.

Salt stress is one of the major factors limiting crop productivity worldwide. Grain amaranth is new crop with high yield potential and good nutrition value which can be a good substitute for salt-sensitive crops in saline areas. This research was conducted to evaluate different level of salinity and applied salinity stress at several growth stages on some morphological and physiological traits of Amaranth via split plot experiment based on completely randomized with three replications. The main factor included five level of salinity (Control, 75, 150, 225 and 300 mM NaCl). The sub factor consisted applied salinity stress at four growth stages (Plant establishment, branching, flowering and grain filling period) under hydroponic system with Hoagland solution. According result of analysis of variance interaction applying different levels of salinity at different growth stages was significant at 1% probability level for all traits (instead hydrogen peroxide; H2O2, malon di aldehyde; MDA and total phenolic). Mean comparison results showed that application of 300 mM salinity concentration after plant establishment stage led to death of amaranth. Salinity application after establishment decreased significantly plant height, number of branches and panicle per plant as 44.9, 31.8 and 35.4%, respectively. Root volume only decreased after salinity 225 mM after plant establishment and 300 mM at the branching as 38 and 45%, respectively. Production of grain weight was not affected by 75 mM salinity, but at higher salinity showed significant decrease. The highest decrease in grain weight obtained by applying 225 mM salinity after the plant establishment and salinity at 300 mM after branching as 86.6 and 71.3%, respectively, resulting in a decrease in both 1000 kernel weight and grain number, respectively. Salinity application increased H2O2, MDA and total phenolics contents, severely. Most of characteristics were not affecting by 75 mM NaCl, but other concentrations had a negative effect on the growth and production of amaranth. In this study, the most sensitive application time to salinity was after plant establishment and the most tolerant was grain filling stage.

The application of zeolite to soils increases cation exchange capacity, and as increases nutrient retention capacity. Imbalanced nutrient management is one of the reasons responsible for low yield of potato in Iran. This study was carried out in research field of Islamic Azad University; Arak Branch at central of Iran to evaluate effect of zeolite particles and phosphorus fertilizer on agro-physiological traits of potato via factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications in 2011. The factors included four concentration of zeolite particles (0, 2, 4 and 6 t.ha-1) and three level of triple super phosphate fertilizer (75, 150 and 225 kg.ha-1). Result of analysis of variance indicated effect of different rate of zeolite on all measured traits (instead tuber dry weight) was significant, also chemical phosphorus treatment can affected the mean tuber weight, biomass yield and tuber dry weight significantly. Interaction effect of treatments on mean tuber weight and biomass yield was significant at 5% probability level. The number of stem per plant, mean tuber weight, tuber phosphorus concentration, tuber yield and biomass yield generally improved by increase zeolite rates. Mean of tuber weight, biomass yield and tuber dry weight increased linearly with increasing phosphorus fertilizer rate from 75 to 150 kg.ha-1, the trends of changes in mean of mentioned traits were reduced by high amount of triple super phosphate application (250 kg.ha-1) significantly. Finally according result of this research the highest biomass yield (58 t.ha-1) was achieved by use of 6.0 t.ha-1 zeolite and 150 kg.ha-1 triple super phosphates, therefore, with a lower consumption of phosphate fertilizer (up to 225 kg.ha-1) it can be saved fertilizer without any significant reduction in yield.

This research was conducted to evaluate the trend of cadmium accumulation in wheat tissue and cultivated soil affected conventional cropping systems and different growth stage via split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications during 2014-2015 seasonal year. The main factor included two cropping systems (wheat-rice, fallow-wheat) and growth stage at three level (Tillering, flowering and ripening) belonged to subplots. ANOVA results indicated that the effect of different cropping systems and growth stages on soil and crop cadmium concentration traits was significant at 1% probability level, but interaction effect of treatments was not significant, also soil phosphorus content only affect cropping systems at 5% probability level. Compare effect of cropping systems on cadmium accumulation in cultivated soil and wheat tissue have similar trend (Ascending to descending). In other words the rice-wheat cropping system has more amounts of cadmium (1.71 mg.kg-1 in soil and 1.83 mg.kg-1 in wheat tissue) than to fallow-wheat cropping pattern (1.37 mg.kg-1 in soil and 1.32 mg.kg-1 in wheat tissue). Compare cadmium accumulation between soil and wheat crop tissue revealed an opposite trend. Because of leaching and absorb by plants, trend of soil cadmium accumulation from tillering to ripening stage had down trend. But crop cadmium accumulation due to developed biomass and absorb cadmium had risen trend. Finally management fertilizer consumption of cultivated field according result of soil test and use of phosphate fertilizers by attention to the standards of soil and water research institute led to reduced cadmium accumulation in crop tissue.